Alcoholism – Alcohol Addiction

Do You Want To Quit Drinking?

We can help – We have one of the largest Searchable Databases of Alcohol Rehab Facilities in the US.

Call Our FREE 24 Hour Helpline

Toll Free For a FREE Consultaion – 24/7 -No Obligation – US Only – Find An Alcohol Or Drug Rehab Center Near You Today

Here’s what other callers thought:

Understanding Alcoholism

Alcoholism can be due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional health. People who have a family history of insobriety or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems. Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate.

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

You may have a drinking problem if you…

Feel guilty or ashamed about your crapulence.

Lie to others or hide your drinking habits.

Are friends or family members worried about you.

Need to drink in order to relax or feel better.

“Black out” or forget what you did while you were drinking.

Regularly drink more than you intended to.

Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. The bottom line is how alcohol affects you. If your boozing is causing problems in your life, you have a problem.

Craig Ferguson Talks About His Own Alcohol Addiction

Call Now:888-744-9764 Toll Free For a FREE Consultaion – 24/7 -No Obligation – US Only – Find An Alcohol Or Drug Rehab Center Near You Fast

Alcohol Addiction – Signs and Symptoms

Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism (also called alcohol dependence). Unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking. However, their liquor use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves or others.

Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include:

Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your intoxication. For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over.

Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.

Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your inebriation. For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct.

Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you are drunk.

Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress. Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss.

The Path from Problem Drinking to Alcoholism

Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes methomania develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater.

Symptoms of Alcohol Dependence

Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. It usually involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also adds another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on booze to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you have an addiction.

Tolerance: The 1st major warning sign of alcohol addiction

Do you have to drink a lot more than you used to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Can you drink more than other people without getting drunk? These are signs of tolerance, which can be an early warning sign of alcoholism. Tolerance means that, over time, you need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects.

Withdrawal: The 2nd major warning sign of alcoholism

Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a huge red flag. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away.

These include:

Anxiety or jumpiness

Shakiness or trembling

Sweating

Nausea and vomiting

Insomnia

Depression

Irritability

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

Headache

In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk to your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit.

Other signs and symptoms of alcohol dependence

– You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.

– You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop, but your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.

– You have given up other activities because of the bottle. You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of the sauce.

– Liquor takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around hitting the bottle.

– You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.

Call Now:888-744-9764 Toll Free For a FREE Consultaion – 24/7 -No Obligation – US Only – Find An Alcohol Or Drug Rehab Center Near You Now!

Drinking Problems and Denial

Denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for any substance abuse. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize it, even when the consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates problems with work, finances, and relationships.

You may deny your drinking problem by:

Drastically underestimating how much you drink

Downplaying the negative consequences

Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem

Blaming your insobriety on others

For example, you may blame an ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your methomania is contributing to the problem. While work, relationship, and financial stresses happen to everyone, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble.

If you find yourself rationalizing your drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses.

5 Myths about methomania

Myth #1: I can stop drinking anytime I want to.
Maybe you can; more likely, you can’t. Either way, it’s just an excuse to keep drinking. The truth is, you don’t want to stop. Telling yourself you can quit makes you feel in control, despite all evidence to the contrary and no matter the damage it’s doing.

Myth #2: My boozing is my problem. I’m the one it hurts, so no one has the right to tell me to stop.
It’s true that the decision to quit is up to you. But you are deceiving yourself if you think that your insobriety hurts no one else but you. Dipsomania affects everyone around you—especially the people closest to you. Your problem is their problem.

Myth #3: I don’t drink every day, so I can’t be an alcoholic OR I only drink wine or beer, so I can’t be.
Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It’s the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem. If your vinosity is causing problems in your home or work life, you have a problem—whether you drink daily or only on the weekends, down shots of tequila or stick to wine, drink three bottles of beers a day or three bottles of whiskey, it’s all the same.

Myth #4: I’m not an alcoholic because I have a job and I’m doing okay.
You don’t have to be homeless and drinking out of a brown paper bag. Many methomaniacs are able to hold down jobs, get through school, and provide for their families. Some are even able to excel. But just because you’re high-functioning doesn’t mean you’re not putting yourself or others in danger. Over time, the effects will catch up with you.

Myth #5: Drinking is not a “real” addiction like drug abuse.
Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is every bit as damaging as drug addiction. Dipsomania causes changes in the body and brain, and long-term abuse can have devastating effects on your health, your career, and your relationships. Alcoholics go through physical withdrawal when they stop drinking, just like drug users do when they quit.

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol

If you’re ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you’ve already taken the first step. It takes tremendous strength and courage to face your alcohol addiction head on.

Reaching out for support is the second step. Support is essential. Recovering from alcohol dependence is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.

Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges. In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also have to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place.

Those problems could be depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues. Such problems may become more prominent when you’re no longer using booze to cover them up. But you will be in a healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need.

Legal Pages

Disclaimer

Alcoholism Support.org provides a free service that helps consumers connect with drug rehab centers. All rehab centers are independent and Alcoholism Support.org does not warrant or guarantee any treatment or center. It is the responsibility of the consumer to verify that the center they hire has the necessary license and insurance required for the treatment being performed.